Fugitive
by Jarakrisafis
Summary: AU of the episode In the Line of Duty what would have happened if Jolinar had found the ash'rak before he found her...


Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author.

Summary: AU what would have happened if Jolinar had found the ash'rak before he found her...

-host/symbiote speaking to each other internally-

-------------------------------

Everything about this world was unfamiliar. Picking thoughts out of my host's mind I am managing to respond to most of the people without raising suspicion or at least that is how it has appeared so far.

I know I need to find the survivors from the world I was on. If I managed to escape then it was quite possible for the ash'rak sent after me to have changed host and been rescued. Walking past one of the rooms housing the Nasyans I heard somebody muttering. One of the phrases caught my interest and caused me to enter.

"Patient has third degree burns to over 80 of his body. So far no signs of infection."

The woman pressed something on a small box and muttered something else I didn't hear, I was too busy thinking over her last sentence. 80 burns, no infection and not dead. It would take either a large amount of luck or a symbiote to still be alive. The doctor, Frasier, turned as I entered.

"Hey."

"Is this one of the Nasyans we saved?" I asked approaching the man.

"Yeah, he should be dead. Cassandra is in my office. Now, I still have rounds to make, but you know where it is?"

"Right." I said distracted by the presence of naquada I could feel from the man.

The doctor offered me a smile as she left. Letting out the breath I had been holding I went over to the door and shut it. I placed a hand over the man's chest, letting me feel the naquada.

Goa'uld, my senses whispered to me.

I brought out the weapon from the back of my waistline. I pointed it at the man and pressed the trigger. I winced at the sound of the small explosion. I stayed only long enough to check that the Goa'uld was no longer living before slipping from the room.

Several guards rushed past. I flattened myself against the wall to avoid being run over, feeling the metal of the unfamiliar weapon digging into my back.

I made my way out of the healing complex and over to the vehicles which could transport me back to the mountain where the Chappa'ai is housed. I would visit the Tau'ri named Cassandra later. For now, I needed to get out of here, as any search would turn up my weapon. I needed to get rid of it before anybody remembered that I had been in that room.

Walking down the corridors inside the mountain, I managed to locate an armoury to leave my weapon amongst a lot of others. I then slipped into my new host's quarters. I flipped the lock closed then paced over to my host's bed. I slowly slipped into a meditative state. Like kel'no'reem it would allow me to communicate with my host without any interference.

I focused my attention inwards and extended a mental hand to my host. -Samantha?-

I cringed slightly as I heard my host's reply. My hand was slapped away in a mental barrage of offensive words, some of which I was sure she had picked out of my mind.

-Please Samantha, give me a chance to explain my actions.-

-This better be good.-

I was silent for a moment whilst I contemplated how to begin my explanation. -You must believe me when I say that I am not Goa'uld.-

I heard the mental snort of disbelief as she mentally blocked me out and started humming a tune to herself.

It seems that talking will not work in these circumstances. But to open my mind to my host would enhance the bond and make it much more difficult to separate in the future. But I could think of no other way to show my host why I needed her to trust me and even why she should trust me.

-Samantha- I said, gaining her full attention. I opened my mind, allowing her to see my memories before she could start insulting me again.

There was a long silence as she looked through what I was showing her.

Snatches of older memories, from long ago. Many battles against the Goa'uld, which were long forgotten by most. Life amongst the rest of the Tok'ra in the tunnels. Past hosts.

More recent memories.

Pain.

Grief.

Rosha.

I felt Samantha pull herself out of my memories and compose herself as I tried to forget the events which had brought me here.

-That man- she said at length, -he was a goa'uld.-

-An ash'rak- I corrected. -An assassin sent to kill me.-

-Who sent him?-

-Cronos- I said with a finality which made my host change the subject.

-You aren't planning to stay in me are you?- I felt the slight tingle of apprehension and fear from her.

-No, I need to return to my people, they can find me another host who wishes to blend with me.-

Samantha was silent for a while. -If you want to return then you can't give my team any reason to be suspicious or they will stop us. It would be easier if I was in control of my own body. I won't hand you in. I want you out as much as you do, I can't do that if we are in a cell somewhere-

I eased us out of the meditative state and retreated to the back of Samantha's mind. -Wake me up if you need to speak with me- I said as I slipped off to sleep, leaving Samantha to do as she wished. I just hoped that she would keep her word and not hand herself in.

I awoke to the scent and taste of unfamiliar food.

-Jolinar? You awake?-

-Yes, what is that?- I asked.

-This?- she asked lifting a spoonful of what appeared to be blue gel.

I mentally nodded.

-It's jello.-

We were shaken out of our first real conversation as somebody gently shook my host.

"Yes, sorry."

"Are you alright?" a man who had sat down opposite Samantha asked.

She nodded.

"Ok then, it's just you kinda spaced out for a while."

"Really I'm fine Daniel, I was just thinking."

"About the Nasyans? One was shot last night, by one of our weapons. Strange thing was the doctors found he was a goa'uld. They are just trying to figure out who shot him and how they knew he was snaked."

I froze. What would happen if the doctor remembered Samantha had been in that room? What if they found out about me?

-Calm down, you're making my neck itch.-

-Sorry- I murmured as I tried to relax muscles which had tensed involuntarily at the thought of capture.

"Maybe that was why the Goa'uld attacked Nasya," Samantha suggested to Daniel. "Perhaps they were after that one." She stood up. "I have to go get ready for our mission, I'll see you then."

-The Goa'uld weren't after the ash'rak, they were after me.-

-I know,- Sam sighed, -I couldn't exactly say that though could I?-

We were halfway back to our quarters when Samantha remembered something.

-I never went to see Cassy, I better go apologise to Janet before we go.-

Samantha paused on the threshold of the infirmary as low voices reached our ears. My presence allowed us to overhear what was being said when an unblended person would have heard nothing.

"The presence of Naquada is only in Goa'uld and Jaffa. Teal'c doesn't have this much. The swab was taken from a small abrasion on the back of her throat, possibly the entry point of a symbiote. Add to that, she was in the Nasyans room and didn't follow me out."

"Very well doctor, can you make something which will stop a Goa'uld, I don't want to kill them. We can wait until the start of the mission so as not to arouse suspicion."

"Yes Sir."

Sam backed away from the door and darted around a corner before the general came out.

-We need weapons and we need to get out of here before they realise we know they know.-

-You do know that was very confusing?- Samantha asked as she made her way to the nearest armoury. She disabled the guard at the door and picked up a couple of Tau'ri weapons from the shelves, similar to the one I had used before.

-Wait. Have you not got any Goa'uld weaponry?-

A short while later we stood in a small lab. I looked over the items on the table before picking up a Zat'nik'tel and the ash'rak's weapon.

-They may be useful- I commented as we made our way to the surface.

-This is an interesting method of transportation.- I eventually commented as my host wound her way along the road from the mountain.

-Well us humans haven't managed to build tel'taks yet. We're working on it though.- she replied sarcastically. I fell silent, not wanting to alienate her more than I already had.

-Alienate me more than being in me?- she asked as she pulled up outside a small property. I let my apology cross the tentative bond I had created with her.

She rushed through the house like a whirlwind picking up items that could be useful. She picked up a small plastic card as she passed a shelf by the door and locked up the house.

-Where are we going?-

-Airport. We need to get well away from here. I'll get money from the bank before we get on the plane.- She said as the car started with a roar.

I looked around the building, a 'terminal' I was informed, people moved in all directions. Samantha bought a ticket for a place named Montana and led the way through the throngs of humans. It was interesting, Goa'uld kept too much control of slaves and Jaffa to allow them to simply board a transport at will. There was too much risk that they would never return. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I only saw the 'Plane' as we were about to board.

-Jolinar?- Samantha inquired as I stopped our forward motion.

-There is no way in Neatu that I am getting on that!-

-It's not that dangerous.- she said as she willed her legs to move again.

**-------------------------------------**

-Jolinar, give me control. Next time warn me you are going to hijack my body before you do it. Besides, I could have just shown him my airforce pass.-

-The airforce would not leave a possible Goa'uld to just run about the country.-

-But...-

-Showing your pass to get all our weapons through security was too big a risk. They kept hold of it for too long as we boarded. I would not be surprised if the SGC has not sent somebody here to catch us. The harakash wiped the security man on this side of remembering he had seen our weapons or us. So he cannot report us.- I explained as I allowed Samantha to take control of her body again as we exited the building.

I surveyed the area for any possible threats, seeing nothing other than Tau'ri going about their business

-What now?- I asked as Samantha started walking.

-To find a car rental place. We need transport to wherever we decide to go, I don't plan on walking.-

-This isn't the rental place, that's over there.- I said mentally pointing out the large sign.-

-Money, Jolinar.- She said as she pulled out her small strip of plastic from her pocket which allowed her to get the Tau'ri currency.

-I need to try something.- I said as she pushed her card into the wall.

I felt my hosts assent so I turned my attention inwards and concentrated on the presence of naquada within myself. I slowly stretched my senses out feeling for anything else on this planet. It was the first world; if the chappa'ai had been hidden I hoped other things would be. The Chappa'ai flared in my senses, its naquada making it shine like a beacon within my mind, even though it was in what my host called another 'state'. Another chappa'ai seemed to be in the north but I dismissed it as being something within this world as no other planet had two gates. A different familiar feeling flickered at my consiousness and I grasped at it even as my mind was pulled back to the present.

-Samantha, what is wrong.- I enquired as she swore at the machine she had placed her card in.

-My account has been frozen. We're going to have to do this the hard way.-

I metaphorically froze in her neck -Hard way?-

Having two people in one body was definitely an advantage at times I thought, as I was still peripherally aware of the surroundings, even while my host was focused on rewiring one of the Tau'ri vehicles we had found between two buildings, where there appeared to be no security cameras or alarms.

-Keep looking like you are busy. I think we have company.-

Samantha swore but didn't look up. She eased the zat'nik'tel from her waistband and opened it.

-How many?- She asked as she raised her head slightly.

-I am not sure, at least 3.-

The figures I had seen out of the corner of my eye suddenly made a rush to get around the side of the car to get to a position they could shoot in the open door. Samantha raised her zat and took down two of the men before they were able to dive out of the way. They obviously had not expected us to have a weapon handy. The third dodged the shot, which impacted the floor near his shoulder. He rolled and came up firing.

I felt a prick in my host's leg. I cursed as I immediately turned my attentions inwards, hoping Samantha would get the other man. I quickly isolated whatever had been put into the dart and began clearing it out of Samantha's body.

-Jolinar?-

-I am here.-

-What happened? He just stopped as if he expected me to curl up and die.-

-He most likely did,- I said with a big mental grin as I took control to pull the dart from her leg. -There was enough sedative in that to knock out an unblended human for a week.-

I moved out of control so Samantha could finish wiring the vehicle.

-Ok Jol, all done.- She said as the vehicle rumbled to life. –Although I don't know where we can go, the NID will track us down.

-I think I know a way off this planet, they cannot track us if we are not here. But we will need help as we will need money.

-Samantha, you are sure this is a good idea?- I asked cautiously, staring at the nondescript house we had pulled up at through my hosts eyes.

-We don't have much of a choice, the SGC have already frozen my bank accounts. Somehow I don't think those people were just after my money. The entire ambush reeked of NID, although how they knew I was a Goa'uld,- I winced. –Sorry, so soon after I was ummm blended I don't know. I don't like the prospect of being a lab rat for the rest of my life.-

I didn't reply as we made our way through the untended garden to the door.

-Are you going to knock?- I queried impatiently. -I would prefer not to stay outside where we can be seen for any length of time.-

Samantha raised her hand and rapped on the door as she cast a cautious eye along the silent street. Footsteps approached from inside the house, I felt my host's apprehension rise and I expertly changed the chemicals in her blood to keep her calm.

-Here goes.-

"Hi Dad."

The look of shock on the man's face would have been comical had our situation been different.

"Sammie? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Good to see you too dad," Samantha replied. "We have a problem, can we come in?"

"We?" he asked suspiciously, peering out at the car.

"Ah, that's part of the problem" my host said as she squeezed past her father and into the hallway.

-I will let you tell your father all that has happened. I do not believe he would be too friendly if I tried to speak without any warning.- Although I thought it might be quite funny to make my eyes glow. Then again he is Samantha's father, I would probably get myself shot if I didn't let Sam explain first. I pulled out of my daydreams when my host called my name.

-...inar, he wants proof that you exist.-

I slid into control and stared at Samantha's father.

"Sammie?" he asked, frowning slightly.

I deliberately let my eyes flare. "I am Jolinar of Malkshur."

"Ah." He managed, doing a creditable impression of a fish.

I felt a smirk pull at the edges of my mouth "I don't bite."

-Much- I added to Samantha as I let her reclaim her body.

"So, let me get this straight," he said finding his voice. "You have an alien living inside you who needs to get off earth so it can get out of you - and you want my help to do this."

"She, Jolinar is a she dad, not an it."

-Actually, technically I am an it you know.-

Samantha mentally shushed me as she told her father where we needed to go.

**----------------------------------------**

"So Sam, you said that last time you thought you were almost stopped. Won't you be stopped this time?"

"Probably, I just need you to go through security with something metal, create a diversion. Then Jolinar can use this, "She pulled the harakash from her pocket and held it up. "It alters memories; Jolinar can make them think I am just another traveller, nobody special."

Jacob was watching us out of the corner of his eyes from his seat on the Tau'ri airplane. I turned my head to meet his gaze and raised an eyebrow.

I waited.

"You know, I never thought that it would be an illegal alien which would get Sam to talk to me again.

"You do not talk to each other. Why?"

"You don't know?"

"Just because I am within your daughter does not mean I have all her memories. If we are to separate when we find my people then I must not become too close to her or it will make the separation harder."

"Right. So how are we going to get back here after you have…separated?"

"The same way we are getting to my base, by." I said, cutting off what I was going to say as another Tau'ri took the unoccupied seat beside me. I don't think my…wonky, as my host had put it, voice counted as low profile, so it appeared it was going to be a quiet journey unless I wanted to draw attention to myself. I settled back to read a Tau'ri magazine that was left in the pocket of the seat in front and tried to ignore the fact that I was once again going to be flying in a primitive ship which could crash at any time.

I sighed with relief as we touched down at our destination.

I let Jacob do all the talking as he bargained for the use of a hire car. I felt almost guilty as we climbed in, as we most likely would not be returning the vehicle.

Sam looked up from the small device she was using. I didn't catch the name, a GPS thing, which was acting like a map.

"We are at the co-ordinates you put on the map."

-And?- I asked, as her father raised an eyebrow as he looked about.

-Well, there is sand, sand and more sand.- She said sarcastically, sweeping a hand about the rather monotonous scenery.

-I felt it around here. I once again reached out, searching for the naquada I had sensed earlier. -That way.- I mentally pointed to one of the sand dunes.

-Here.- I could feel the naquada all around.

"Jolinar says it's around here dad."

He stomped off through the sand "Looks like just another sand dune to me" he said before disappearing into the dune as something gave way with a crash beneath the sand.

"Dad?" Samantha said rushing over to where her father had vanished.

"Ow. I think I found whatever it is she is looking for."

"You ok dad?" he nodded as he got up gingerly and brushed sand off his clothes.

Samantha peered down into the hole, we went back over to the car and pulled out a torch from one of the bags and tossed it down. Jacob flicked the torch on and we lowered ourself into the underground room and looked about.

-This is it, all we need to do now is activate the transport rings.-

-How do you plan to do that? I can't see anywhere to activate them from.-

-Allow me- I went over to the back panel and pressed it in to find the activation stone. I picked it up and slid it onto my arm. -Experience, whoever designs these ringrooms has no creativity, they are all exactly the same. They just have the names of different Goa'uld plastered all over them.-

"Jacob." I said, beckoning him over to the rings.

"What are you going..." I pressed down on the activation stone. "...to do." He finished as he span around as the rings deposited us onto flat ground. "Woah, bet the Egyptian Government would be sorry if they knew they had things like this buried about the country."

"Are you sure that your organisation will still be on the planet they were last on?" Jacob asked as I powered the teltak up and slowly lifted it from its sandy tomb.

"No, but if they have been forced to move on they will have left clues on the planet for returning operatives to find. They will lead us to one of the smaller cells, they can contact the main base."

I hoped they had not moved as that meant the traitor who had betrayed me to Cronos could have slipped out during the organised chaos that a base evacuation caused.

I angled the ship towards the sky, taking the quickest route to space. The scenic route might have been nice but I wasn't willing to dodge Tau'ri fighters if they caught up with us.

"I take it this ship has inertial dampeners" Jacob said as he looked at the sky out of the viewport.

"Yes. If it didn't we would be no more than splats on the back wall when we enter hyperspace."

"Hyperspace?" he asked as I put the ship into a high orbit above the planet and began calculating the easiest jump to territory that is currently not under Goa'uld jurisdiction.

I pulled the ship from its orbit and put it into the correct vector to enter the hyperspace window correctly.

"Why do I get a feeling I'm not going to see that again for a while?" Jacob asked as Earth disappeared from sight of the viewscreen as the teltak turned.

I shrugged slightly, feeling that he wasn't really wanting a reply, as I placed my hands on the control pad to engage the main drive.

Jacob jumped a little as the blue flash signalled our successful entry. I lifted my hands from the controls and sat back.

"Shouldn't you keep your hands on the controls?"

"Not in hyperspace. The autopilot will alert us if anything is amiss." I replied externally. Internally I told Samantha. -I am going to sleep, wake me if anything blue starts to flash.-

-Sure.- I felt a thread of curiosity. –Before you go to sleep, how did you know this was in Egypt when we were in America?-

-It contains naquada.- I explained, -any host and symbiote, and to a lesser degree Jaffa, can feel its presence. You have to focus on the naquada inside yourself then just extend your senses. I would have tried it while we were at your home but we were to close to the chappa'ai, it would have overpowered anything else.-

I felt my host mentally nod to me that she understood as I handed control of her body back to her.

-Jolinar?-

-What?- I asked fuzzily, sure I had only just drifted off.

-One of the panels is flashing blue, and it says 'attention' in Goa'uld.-

I glanced at the controls. –We are about to come out of hyperspace.- I dropped the ship back into real space with a quick nudge of the control panel and scanned for the presence of any other ships. My sensors found nothing that did not belong in a regular planetary system. But that did not surprise me. If this ship had been on the Tau'ri homeworld then it would not be the most advanced. Not that the Goa'uld had advanced that much in my lifetime.

The past two thousand years had brought better communications and sensors and the cloaking device for smaller ships. No improvements in design or propulsion. I sighed; having a cloak now would be a good thing. We could have gone directly to the planet instead of landing elsewhere and using the Chappa'ai to access the planet by 'gatehopping' as Samantha put it. All that just to throw off any Goa'uld who may be around and we don't yet know if the base is still there.

I set the tel'tak down near the Chappa'ai, powered down the systems and opened the door.

"After you." I said to Jacob, gesturing to the green covered planet outside.

"Are you sure this is another planet? Looks like Earth to me."

"I assure you we are no longer on your homeworld." I said as I depressed glyphs on the Dialling device to activate the Chappa'ai.

The heat hit us like a wave as we exited the Horizon. Samantha unconsciously raised an arm to steady her father.

"Holy Hannah! Does it always feel like that?" He asked shivering.

"Only the first few times."

**-----------------------------------**

"You sure this is the right planet?. It looks deserted to me, there aren't even any tracks."

"This is where the base was. If they had moved on they would have left markers so returning operatives would know this planet has been deserted."

I felt a tingling sensation in my senses. I glanced around at the sand dunes surrounding us. One mound caught my eye, a small scrap of almost indistinguishable bit of fabric stuck out from it. I pulled out my zat from my belt even as several Tok'ra rose from the mounds of sand around us. Several staff weapons snapped open behind us; I kept my zat held on one of the Tok'ra in front of us as Jacob shifted closer to me. I focused on the leaders of the guard detail as they strode up, hoping I recognised them.

I swore.

-Jolinar, what's wrong?

-Cordesh.-

"Who are you and what is your business here?" He asked suspiciously.

"I am Jolinar. Rosha was killed," I pushed down my feelings of grief. "I had to change hosts." Cordesh's expression flickered from thinly veiled distrust to a smile of greeting.

"It is good to see you again Jolinar." Cordesh said coming forward.

I smiled in return and allowed Jacob and myself to be led towards the rings. I glanced back at Cordesh as the rings burst up from the sand; his expression was twisted into one of anger as he glared at us.

-Jolinar, why does he not like you?- Samantha asked as the guard who had transported down with us dashed off into one of the tunnels.

I looked around at the pale blue crystals and took in the familiar scents of my home as I wondered how to tell her why I did not like Cordesh. -I will tell you later.- I said as the guard reappeared, followed by a regal looking woman who came to meet us.

"Jolinar" she said as she embraced us. "We had feared you were dead."

"Cronos sent an ashrak after me, I had to lose him before I returned here."

"Are you going to introduce me to your host?"

"Of course" I said, dipping my head and allowing Samantha to take control.

"I'm Major Sam Carter of the Tau'ri, this is my father Jacob."

"The Tau'ri? You are from the first world?" Garshaw asked with a touch of disbelief.

"Yes."

"We did not think you were that advanced." Having been in a Tau'ri flying transport I was inclined to agree with that assessment.

"We destroyed two motherships."

"That was you. We lost people on those ships." Garshaw said with an angry undertone in her voice.

-Samantha, allow me,-

"The Tau'ri had no choice, Apophis was poised to destroy their world." I said, defending my host. "I need to speak to you alone about another matter." I told her in a low voice.

She nodded, apparently catching the urgency in my tone. "The council chambers should be empty now."

"Sam?"

I turned back to Jacob who was swaying slightly on his feet. "Yes."

"I don't know what you aliens run on but I'm just a human and I really need to sleep."

"My apologies, Malek," Garshaw said snagging a passing Tok'ra, "Can you show Jacob to one of the empty chambers."

-He will be fine- I assured my host as her father was led away. -We need to speak about finding myself a new host. Unless you wish me to stay?- I asked hopefully.

-No. - She said after a pause as we entered the council chambers and I took a seat beside one of the shallow pools. I dipped my hand in and began to play with the water.

"Jolinar?" Garshaw prodded me when I did not begin to speak.

"Samantha does not wish to stay as my host. I thought she knew what I was and was offering me a way out. I was dying and did not stop to wonder how she would know when I had never spoken. She agreed to come back here with me so that I could be removed and she could return to her people."

"What of her father then."

"The rest of the Tau'ri realised I was within Samantha and tried to catch us. We had to evade them, her father helped us reach the teltak."

"I see, we have nobody who wishes to host with us but I will send word to the other cells and to our agents to try to find someone."

"Thank you." I paused at the doorway, "where is Martouf?"

"He is on messenger duty, relaying mission reports to the cell commanded by Persus. He should return in the next few days. You should go and rest Jolinar."

-Who is Martouf?- Samantha asked as I wandered through the tunnels to my quarters.

-He is my mate.-

-Mate? As in, married? Is he blended?-

-His symbiote is called Lantash. We have been together for nearly one hundred years. We had been on separate bases until he was transferred to Garshaw's cell.-

I opened my chest and pulled out some clothing that I could wear to sleep in and lay down on my bed.

-Crystal slab.- Samantha insisted as we slowly drifted off.

"Jolinar."

Lantash was sat on the edge of the bed, one hand entwined with mine. He smiles, his other hand coming to rest on my shoulder as he leant down towards me.

"We missed you." he said sofly as his lips neared mine.

His hand on my shoulder tightened while the rest of him seemed to fade into nothing. I stared at the new figure beside me for a moment as he removed his hand from my shoulder.

"Sorry to wake you Jolinar, but the Council wishes to hear your report on what happened."

"Of course." I replied as he nodded and walked out. I raised one hand to my lips before going to find some clothing appropriate to appear before the council in.

**--------------------------------**

I grabbed whatever was on offer for eating today and surveyed the crystal tables for somewhere to sit. I spotted Jacob, picking at his food, sitting with another Tok'ra at one of the tables. I went over to join them.

"May I sit here?" I asked, not wanting to interrupt a conversation.

"Sam" Jacob said as he put his spoon down.

"Jolinar, it is good to see you again." The other Tok'ra said warmly. "Sit. Jacob was just telling me what the Tau'ri homeworld is like now."

"Good morning Jacob, Samantha is still sleeping. You are well Sarouche?" I asked. She looked even frailer now than when I had left.

"I have been better. Selmak is doing what she can."

"You aren't well?" Jacob asked, "I thought you said symbiotes could heal injuries."

"Injuries yes, but not old age. I am nearly 203 years old." Jacob's eyes widened as he stared at Sarouche.

"We enhance the lifespan of those we blend with," I put in. "Depending on the age of the host on blending, hosts can live to be 400."

"I was already almost 60 when I blended with Selmak after Ra invaded my homeworld. The high council have been searching for a new host for Selmak but none have come forward."

"What is it like to blend?" Jacob asked as he leaned across the table to regard Sarouche.

I sat back to listen to their conversation. It almost seemed like Jacob was wondering if he should become a host. Even when I had hijacked his daughter.

Sarouche too leaned forward slightly, "It is strange at first and you have to be able to compromise. Tastes in food and in dress are often different in symbiote and host. However, as we just said, your lifespan is extended and you have access to all the symbiote's memories. Although not all of them are good."

"Jacob." I said staring at him intently, "you are not thinking of blending are you?"

"Is Sam still sleeping?" he asked. I nodded and he continued. "I have a disease called cancer," at Sarouche's confused look he elaborated, "where cells start to multiply, the Tau'ri have no cure for it."

"That is easy enough for us to cure." Selmak said, speaking for the first time.

"If you will excuse me." I said spotting Korra looking in my direction from the entrance. "I must speak with the council."

I left my half-eaten dish of…well I didn't actually know what it was, by the serving hatch and made my way to the council chambers.

"You are saying Cronos was informed of your presence?" Garshaw asked as I was being interrogated about my time in Cronos' service by the council.

"I am."

"Do you have any idea who it was that betrayed you."

"I do." I let my eyes flare,"Cordesh."

"Cordesh? He would not." One of the other councillor said with disbelief.

"It was his voice on the communications sphere and Cronos addressed him by name."

"Perhaps we should check his quarters to be sure." Korra suggested.

"Kree." Garshaw said as she nodded her head at Korra.

I sat down beside one of the pools to wait for Korra to return.

-Jolinar.- I jumped slightly, I had not been aware that Samantha had awakened. -What will happen to Cordesh when they find him?-

-They will most likely remove the symbiote.-

-You can do that?- she asked surprised

-Yes, we _are_ symbiotes; we know what must be done to separate from a host without harming them.-

I turned as shouts rang down the corridor and the base alarm went off. An eerie undulating sound that echoed around the tunnels. Korra ran in as Garshaw and I glanced at each other.

"We found a long-range communications device in his quarters; he tried to run when we confronted him. He ringed out of the tunnels, Malek is pursuing him with one of the guard details." Korra placed the small box with the comm. device within it beside one of the pools and left again, presumably to help track down Cordesh.

Garshaw looked about the remaining councillors, "Go prepare the base for evacuation, we cannot take the chance that he gave away our location."

"Master Garshaw, Jolinar?" A Tok'ra, wearing a light brown uniform with a green stripe, said from the entrance as Council members streamed past her. "You are needed in the dining area."

-Jolinar?- Samantha questioned as she felt my anxiety, -what is wrong?-

-That is Kaalin, one of our healers.- I said as I followed Garshaw at a run.

We entered the dining area at a flat run. Several Tok'ra were stretched out or leaning against tables.

-Dad.- Samantha said as she spotted her father propped against one of the benches.

"What happened?" Garshaw asked

One of the Tok'ra on the ground answered with a grimace. "Cordesh happened. He opened fire with a zat'nik'tel, thankfully nobody was hit twice."

Kaalin glanced over as he crouched by one of the figures. "Our problem is with Selmak; Sarouche was too old to take even one zat'nik'tel shot. She is not responding to our healing."

-Oh Sarouche.- I sighed as I went over to her side and knelt down.

-You were good friends?- Samantha asked quietly.

-Yes, I have known Sarouche for over one hundred years; she was the one who set me up with Lantash. We were visiting the Tollan and she locked us into a room together and refused to open it.-

"Garshaw." One of the healers said from Jacobs's side.

"Yes," Yosef, Garshaw's host answered.

"Selmak is dying isn't he?" Jacob said as I began to have an idea of where he was going with his enquiry.

"Yes." Yosef said looking at him the same way I probably was.

-No. No way!- Samantha said as she picked the thoughts from my brain. -Give me control.-

I mentally slid back allowing Samantha to speak to her father.

"Dad, you can't really be thinking of doing that are you?"

"Sam, trust me on this. I was hoping I wouldn't have to tell you this. I have cancer. The doctors said there was a chance I could go into remission but Selmak needs me now."

"Oh God." Samantha said. I felt her emotions spike as she swayed. I set to readjusting the chemicals in her body as she fought the tears that were threatening her.

**------------------------**

Most of the Tok'ra had recovered from being zatted and had moved off to help with the evacuation while the healers set to preparing for Selmak's transference. Korra had returned covered in sand and with a spectacular black eye forming, to report that they had captured Cordesh and he was being held in a cell. I rather hoped they forgot he was there and collapsed a tunnel on him.

-They will be fine Samantha.- I tried to reassure my host, although I wasn't sure whether I was just trying to make myself feel better.

-Why do they both have to lie down?-

-We tend not to enter through the neck; it leaves a scar that is unseemly.-

-If the Goa'uld are so vain why do they leave scars then?- She asked curiously.

-They prefer not to see the fear and disgust on their hosts faces.-

Garshaw came over to us and gently pulled Samantha away from the healers. "Let them do what they do best without interference, your father will be fine."

-More than fine.- I said.

-Yeah, it's just, I don't know. I mean, you can leave me. But Selmak won't be able to leave dad or the cancer might come back. I just don't want to abandon him here when I go back to Earth.-

-You could stay here.- I pointed out. I would miss her when a new host was found for me. She didn't answer, giving me a distinct impression that I was still not thought of very highly, even though I had come to admire her as a host.

"Garshaw, the blending is complete. I believe it would be best if you and Samantha are there when they awake." Kaalin said as he and the other healers moved away to allow us to approach.

I felt Samantha's apprehension rise as her father started to wake.

"Selmak?" Garshaw asked quietly.

"I am here old friend. We are well."

"Uh, can I speak to my dad?"

Selmak dipped her head. "Woah, hi kid. That's strange." Jacob said shaking his head slightly.

"Are you ok dad?"

"Yeah. Headache the size of Kuwait. Too many memories in here."

-Why don't I have all your memories?- Samantha asked me puzzled. -I only saw a few when you, we, meditated back at the SGC.-

-I am keeping them from you. It will be easier for you after the separation-.

-Right.- I felt like she would have said more but a Tok'ra in the uniform of a guard put his head around the door.

"Master Garshaw, you were correct, Cordesh did send word of our position to the Goa'uld. Our scout in the Shoran'ka quadrant; one of Cronos' holdings, has reported that two motherships have been dispatched. They will arrive within the hour."

Garshaw nodded. "Evacuate the remaining personnel." She said to the Tok'ra, who nodded and dashed off. She turned to me. "Jolinar, we do not have the time to deal with Cordesh, get what information you can, then collapse the last of the tunnels and join us on Vorash."

"Dad?" Samantha said as I asked her for control so I could go find where they had stashed Cordesh.

"I'll be fine Sam; Selmak says we should go now, Jolinar knows where to find us. We can talk wherever this new base is."

I nodded as I took control and started towards the door. "Take care, may stealth be your ally." I tossed back over my shoulder at the elder symbiotes.

Out of the room I took off towards the cells at a run.

I paused at a junction of tunnels as I heard my name being called. "Korra, Malek." I said as they skidded to a stop beside me.

"Should you not be evacuating?" Malek asked looking confused.

"I'm paying a visit to Cordesh."

"Can we come?" Korra asked maliciously as he touched his already fading black eye.

"Sure." I said as I set off along the tunnels again.

"Cordesh." I said as we approached his cell.

He got up looking at me with hatred. "Come to kill me." He sneered, his eyes flashing. "I see you need bodyguards," he gestured towards Korra and Malek who were flanking me, "to do even that simple task, as I am unarmed."

I ignored him and asked. "Which other Tok'ra did you warn the system lords of?"

He tilted his head imperiously. "You really think I would tell you that."

"No, however I thought it was worth asking. We are here because we are evacuating the base." I felt Malek shift in surprise beside me.

"You are evacuating me?" Cordesh asked, no doubt already planning the best ways to escape.

I nodded, "However, there is a slight problem, you see, the access code to lower the forcefield was in one of the tunnels, which has already been collapsed."

"But, you can't leave me here!" Cordesh said aghast. "The crystals will kill me when they collapse."

"How…unfortunate." I said as I raised one eyebrow.

I retreated from the cells trying to keep a straight face as Cordesh tried to bribe us to open his cell by saying he would tell us everything he knew.

Out of hearing range, we all collapsed in laughter. I ended up sliding down the wall I was leaning on for support.

"Should we not see what information he is willing to give us?" Malek asked.

"No, Garshaw told me to send word to any operatives who may have been compromised to return. So knowledge of who Cordesh did sell to the system lords would not help. Besides we really don't have the codes. I sent the Tok'ra who set it through the Chappa'ai to help secure the new planet." Korra managed to reply through his laughter.

"We should go. No doubt we are the last ones left on the base, apart from the few who have stayed behind to collapse the tunnels." I said as we made our way to the rings.

"And Cordesh." Korra added, starting to snicker again.

**-----------------------------------**

"I thought you said symbiotes didn't have a gender." Jacob said, sitting at one of the newly constructed crystal tables at our new base. "Because she is most definitely female." Jacob said pointing to his neck.

I sniggered at Jacob's affronted look.

"It's like having another wife. Only I can't escape this one."

His eyes took on a distant look as he listened to something Selmak was saying to him.

"Selmak says, Jolinar may want to look around."

Sam frowned and turned to survey the room.

-Martouf! Gimme control.- I said as I willed Samantha to get up.

"Martouf." I said running over to the doorway, all dignity forgotten, and throwing myself into his arms as he tried to back away, a confused look on his face.

"Jolinar?" he asked hesitantly.

I nodded as I cuddled. "We should go to our quarters, I can tell you what has happened."

He nodded and led the way to our quarters. "I do not recognise the one you were talking to." He said as I positioned myself comfortably on our bed.

"It's Selmak. Cordesh was a traitor, he opened fire in the dining area when security tried to apprehend him, Sarouche was killed, her new host is called Jacob."

"What of your host?" Martouf asked. "You have not yet introduced us."

"Her name is Samantha. She is Jacob's daughter, from the first world."

-Samantha? Do you wish to speak?-

-No. It will be hard enough to separate from you as it is.-

I flinched at her frustrated tone. -You do not have to separate,- I tried once again to get her to stay. -Besides, your people may not accept you back if their opinions of the Goa'uld are as extreme as you have showed me. They would most likely think you are a spy, sent back to collect information.-

-You've already taken my father and my friends back on earth may not accept me. Key word being _may_ not. If I stay with you it changes to _will_ not accept me.-

Martouf's voice broke our internal dialogue as he asked a question. "What happened to Rosha?"

"She was killed as I fled Cronos' palace. He sent an ash'rak after us." I closed my eyes against the memories I brought back to the surface. "I was forced to change hosts to one called Nejari on a small farming world. I hoped to hide from the ash'rak but he still found me. He called in gliders as he didn't know which I was in. One of the gliders hit us. The Tau'ri came, it was just ill luck that they came in the middle of the firefight. I was dying, I thought Samantha was offering me a way out."

"She wasn't? You took her against her will?"

"Yes. We managed to make it here, I am waiting for the council to find us a new host, so Samantha may return to her planet."

Martouf nodded. "You have my apologies Samantha. I would hope to make your stay here as comforting as possible."

I let Samantha take control to reply to my mate.

"Thanks. I just hope it's as short a stay as possible."

"Surely it is not that bad?"

"Given that I didn't give permission to become a walking house, yeah, it's bad."

"I am sorry the circumstances have brought you to be in this situation. As I am sure you can believe, it is not my preferred outcome either." He said sharply.

"Martouf, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, I just."

"Have no control over the situation?" he suggested when Samantha paused.

"Something like that." Samantha said aloud. -This is all your fault.- she said to me. I winced but kept quiet; after all, it was my fault. -If you hadn't decided to go all goa'uld on me and not ask if I would be a willing host then I wouldn't be here.- I held back my comment that I would be dead as I didn't think I would get a very sympathetic response.

"Samantha. Would you introduce me to your father?" Martouf asked as the silence began to stretch.

"Sure." She said, getting up and heading back towards the dining room, not checking to see whether Martouf was coming or not.

"Hey dad," Samantha said sliding onto the bench beside her father, who had his head pillowed on his arms.

"Hey Sammie, just speaking to Selmak. Trying to convince her that Tau'ri jokes are better than Jaffa jokes."

"This is Martouf." She said gesturing to where he had seated himself on the other side of the table.

"I know, Selmak told me." Samantha shifted uncomfortably.

"I am honoured to meet you Jacob." Martouf said with a slight bow of his head.

"You too, Martouf, Lantash." Jacob replied.

"How are you faring here?"

"It's strange. I got my own tour guide though," he said gesturing at his neck. "So I can't get lost or say anything too stupid. In addition, I already know everybody's names, without having to go over and ask."

"Excuse me." Samantha said, getting up suddenly. She wandered over to the serving line and picked up a tray and a bowl of, something, even after hundreds of years eating it I still hadn't guessed what most of the food actually was. Glancing back at Martouf and her father she picked up another two and went back over to the table.

Martouf and Jacob were speaking about how the crystals were formed and I felt Samantha's curiosity escalate.

"So, you actually make the original crystal?" She asked after a minute.

Martouf nodded. "There are different shapes of crystals which grow into different sorts of tunnels or rooms. Each of these are synthesised particle by particle until they will grow in the way required."

"How do you know that?" she asked. "I didn't think you were a scientist, at least not from the memories of Jolinar's that I have actually seen."

"I'm not. It was one of Lantash's hosts a long time ago. He was." Whatever Martouf was about to say was cut off by Jacob's sound of disgust as he eyed the bowl in front of him with a dismayed expression.

He looked up as conversations around him fell silent. He gave a wry grin. "And I used to complain about field rations." I snickered. At last, somebody else felt the same way I did about the food.

"It is fine to me." Martouf said. "It has all the nutrients in it you need to survive."

"Be that as it may," Jacob said, "it isn't palatable." He closed his eyes for a moment then sighed. "But since, as Selmak pointed out, there isn't anything else." He looked at the plate mournfully and picked up his spoon again.

Samantha just shook her head and continued eating, steadfastly ignoring my presence. In return I tuned out the external conversations as I wasn't likely to get a comment in anyway.

Samantha still wanted me out, at least as far as I could tell. I hadn't asked her lately. I had retreated to a corner of her mind for the past few days and stayed quiet. The council were still looking for a new host for me, but so far they had not found anybody willing. I just hoped it wouldn't take much longer.

-Jolinar?-

I heard Samantha calling my name; I mentally turned over and ignored her.

-Jolinar, I know you can hear me.-

-What?- I shot back annoyed. -Thought you didn't want me to talk to you. Given that I'm just a snake who stole your body.-

-I'm sorry that I said you were a Goa'uld Jolinar. It's just, I never got a choice in all this.-

-I was the easiest person to take out your anger on?-

-Yes.- she admitted. I got a sensation that she wanted to say something else.

I waited.

-Well, Dad and Martouf, they don't think it would be a good idea to go back to earth. He thinks that some parts of the government would love to get their hands on me.- Was she saying she would stay? -Yes and no. If I still haven't got used to this in a few weeks, you will be leaving.-

-Very well.- I hesitated -Would you also give Martouf a trial period?-

-Well.- She mentally squirmed.

-You like him!-

-I've only known him a few days.- She said, defending herself.

I mentally grinned and bounced slightly. -Why did you decide to give me a few weeks anyway? Last I knew you wanted me out.-

-Weren't you listening to Selmak?- She asked with a mental roll of her eyes. -I don't have a GDO so I can't get back through the stargate and some idiot scientist broke the teltak and it will take a few weeks to get new hyperdrive crystals for it.-

-Oh.- I fell silent as I felt Samantha turn her attention back to one of our dinner companions. So she was staying as she had no way out. At least I had a few weeks to try to convince her to stay. I mentally created myself a little desk and a datapad and began to plot how to keep Samantha amongst the Tok'ra.


End file.
